Charisma Carpenter has come out with a public statement alleging Joss Whedon of abuse and unprofessional behavior while on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel."My truth. #IStandWithRayFisher" Carpenter tweeted with her statement. The #IStandWithRayFisher hashtag is a show of solidarity with Ray Fisher, who first went public with abuse allegations against Whedon on the Justice League set in July 2020.
"For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and even made excuses for certain events that traumatize me to this day," Carpenter began. "Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working together on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. While he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, disempower me, and alienate me from my peers. The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer. It is with a beating, heavy heart that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively."
She continued, "Last summer, when Ray Fisher publicly accused Joss of abusive and unprofessional behavior toward the cast and crew during reshoots on the Justice League set in 2017, it gutted me. Joss has a history of being casually cruel. He has created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. I know because I experienced it first-hand. Repeatedly."
Carpenter stated Whedon used "ongoing, passive-aggressive threats" to fire her, called her "fat" to colleagues while she was four months pregnant and only weighing 126 pounds, "was mean and biting, disparaging about others openly, and often played favorites, pitting people against one another to compete and vie for his attention and approval."
Some incidents Carpenter called out where a meeting with Whedon, where he allegedly berated her for getting a rosemary tattoo, "intentionally refused multiple calls" from her agents to notify him of her pregnancy, and allegedly asked if she was "going to keep it" once they did speak. "He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth," she said.
As part of Carpenter's statement, she revealed that she was a part of the Warner Bros./Ray Fisher investigation into Whedon's conduct on the set of Justice League. "Recently, I participated in WarnerMedia's Justice League investigation because I believe Ray to be a person of integrity who is telling the truth," Carpenter said. "His firing as Cyborg in The Flash was the last straw for me. Although I am not shocked, I am deeply pained by it. It troubles and saddens me that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security.
Carpenter ended her statement with, "It has taken me so long to muster the courage to make this statement publicly. The gravity of it is not lost on me. As a single mother whose family's livelihood is dependent on my craft, I'm scared. Despite my fear about its impact on my future, I can no longer remain silent. This is overdue and necessary. It is time."
Source: Twitter